Heisman watch: Sexual-assault prosecutor holds all the cards

Editor's note: RGJ sportswriter Dan Hinxman is a Heisman Trophy voter. Here are his top five after week 14, with last week’s ranking in parentheses (Dropped out: None):

5. Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon (4): Mariota remains in the No. 5 spot for two reasons — one, no one has taken it from him; and, two, this recent rough patch he’s had has coincided with a knee injury that he’s played through. Four picks in last two games, but still hard to argue with a 30-4 TD-to-interception ratio.

4. Andre Williams, RB, Boston College (3): Williams moved his season rushing total to 2,102 yards (6.4 yards per carry) and has 17 rushing TDs and sat out part of Saturday’s loss to Syracuse with an injury. Why he’s not higher: A large chunk of his yardage has come against some of the nation’s worst rush defenses.

3. Jordan Lynch, QB, Northern Illinois (5): Lynch is getting serious consideration at this point, in part because some of the expected front-runners have been falling off the charts. He has tremendous numbers, but I can’t help but think where he would be if he and A.J. McCarron, for example, switched places.

2. A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama (2): You can’t blame McCarron for the Crimson Tide’s 34-28 loss to Auburn in the most amazing finish since the band was on the field. And there’s this: He’s completed 65.4 percent of his passes for 10 TDs and no picks vs. Bama’s top three foes (Texas A&M, LSU and Auburn).

1. Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State (1): Winston, who threw for 327 yards and three TDs vs. Florida, is the clear front-runner and has really all but wrapped up the award. The pending sexual assault case looms — a decision to charge him could come in the next couple of weeks — which would make or break him, in my mind.

About this blog

Longtime RGJ Media reporter Dan Hinxman is the authority on Wolf Pack athletics, bringing you the day-to-day coverage of Nevada’s sports teams. Dan has covered almost everything the Northern Nevada sports scene has to offer and will use his knowledge to bring you authoritative and engaging Wolf Pack content. Follow him on Twitter at @DanHinxmanRGJ.